10 tips to Fitness Success!

How many times have you put your exercising, weight training and cardio on the back burner when you are following a strict nutrition plan? When life gets busy and you have a million things on your plate, this is the first thing that is usually forgotten! For many, an effective fitness regime is essential for losing weight the healthy way.

There are many excuses that come up such as, procrastination, lack of motivation, exhaustion and the biggest which is lack of time. Most people continually put off their training until tomorrow and of course we all know that tomorrow rarely comes - at least when it is time to indulge into your work out regimen.

Physical activity is a major piece of the weight-management puzzle! You will not achieve optimal results without this integral piece. It increases your lean muscle mass, speeds up weight management and fat loss, raises your metabolism, increases your energy level and keeps your heart healthy!

Here are 10 tips to guide you in staying on track with your fitness goals:

Believe in yourself now! Whatever you believe in you can and will achieve including your health and overall well-being goals! Use the "I can do it" attitude and you are on your way to success!

Plan ahead: It is essential to establish a work out regimen plan to keep you on track. Set mini milestones and goals to keep you focused. Commit to your fitness appointments like you would as any other and put them into your scheduler.

Use the S.M.A.R.T Principle: This allows you to evaluate your progress and change your program if need be. S – Specific = Is it clear and identifiable? / M - Measurable = Can results be determined? / A - Attainable = Is it Possible? / R - Realistic = Is it probable? / T - Time = When will it conclude?

Record your workouts, energy levels and accomplishments: This will help fine tune your program and is also therapeutic, inspirational and rewarding! Make sure to celebrate your victories! Buy yourself something nice or plan an event when you reach a goal!

Persistence is key: Being consistent in your work out routine is a major component of success. Do at least three cardio based activities for a minimum of a half hour as well as three resistance based activities for a minimum of a half hour per week. Ideally hour sessions will get you better results. If you have the luxury of time to commit to training then workout Mon-Fri different muscle groups each day and take your weekend off. Mon = Chest, Tues = Back, Wed = Legs, Thurs = Shoulders, Fri = Arms. Do abs to finish off each workout and rest on the weekends. Repeat. Add in your cardio right after your workout or early in the morning to burn the most calories.

Moderation is important: By gradually increasing your intensity, frequency and duration, you are less likely to injure yourself, get discouraged or quit.

Variety is the spice of life: Every workout changes something a little bit. Make it faster, slower or heavier. Do a variety of different cardio exercises each day and change your entire routine every month. Challenge your body by trying to do something it is not use to doing so it is forced to learn.

Find a training partner: Make sure you pick a partner whose goals and interests are similar to yours and who will inspire you to do your best. This will help make working out more fun, inspirational and safe as well as give you added accountability which we all need sometimes.

Use visualization: Picture yourself engaging in exercise in total detail. How will you feel during and after your workout? How will you look and feel when you hit your goals? Focus on each muscle group as you train it. Think positively and use imagery to see yourself as fit and healthy. Many of the world's greatest athletes rely on this powerful tool to help them succeed at their chosen activity.

Rest and recovery: THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!!! Recovery time is when your muscles actually repair themselves and become bigger and stronger as well as increases your energy level. The time in between your exercise sessions is just as important as the exercise itself. Make sure to listen to your body and if you feel fatigued or exhausted, a day of rest may be more productive than intense exercise.